Erin
by Isla de Muerta
Summary: She's just normal, well almost normal woman but to Data, she's something he can't specify. R&R's are love.
1. Chapter 1: Introduction: Erin part I

Erin

Storyteller: Isla de Muerta

Rating: the normal T

Genre: General/Romance

Disclaimer: The usual any similarities are accidental, mistakes mine and I own only Erin and the ones you don't recognize

Summary: She's just normal, well almost normal woman but to Data, she's something he can't specify. R&R's are love.

Chapter I: Introduction: Erin part I

Data's POV

She is just a normal woman. Well, almost normal woman. Because there is something in her that I cannot specify. She is something that I cannot specify. Externally, she is a mix of human and Vulcan. Do not get me wrong, I have nothing against Vulcan's.

"I'm three quarters of a human and one quarter of Vulcan," she chimed and to me, her voice was like bubbles in summer wind.

"Oh. So that would explain your pointy ears. But what about your lips and nails?" I inquired.

She eyed her blue fingernails as if she would have seen them for the first time and said," Oh, that. Some ancestor of mine had a good time with a Tryad in ancient times."

"A Tryad. Intriguing," and I was intrigued indeed, "And what is Tryad if I may inquire?"

"More accurate question would be, what Tryads were. They were a boring race that lived in a third moon of Trydon. Tryad Prime, they called it. They're all gone now. But they left me this small gift of blue lips and nails," she stated.

"Oh, please accept my condolences," I felt sorry for her loss," How did they die?"

"Don't be sorry lieutenant commander, they're not gone the way you think," she whisked my apologies away with one swift sweep of her small hand. And I did not understand what she meant.

"I am sorry Miss Madegan but I do not understand now."

"They just vanished in one sunny morning. As if they would've evaporated, the whole race," she explained.

"But how can a whole race vanish?" I was puzzled.

"Who knows. But that's what happened. And I'm glad it happened. They did nothing, they just…I don't know, were. Their evolution had stopped long time ago, before they vanished," she just stated. And thus, she managed to make me more perplexed than I already was. To tell the truth, more perplexed than I ever have been.

She intrigued me but that is not the only feeling she makes me feel. She can make me feel loneliness, friendship, anger, hurt and comfort, serenity but more than those, she makes me feel, anguished, needed and heartbroken. And that is exactly why I cannot specify her.

"You don't seem to know how to act with me, how to feel with me," Erin is saying right now, behind me. She is sitting on the edge of my bed, smirking.

"You are right on that, Erin. Every time when I seem to solve how to feel or act with you, you somehow manage to do or say something that makes it all go upside down."

She smiled at me. And that smile has a strange effect on me, it stirs something in me.

"I wouldn't want to say 'I told you' so but that smile, it will get you in trouble," Guinan have said to me more than once after Erin came on board.

"Why would you want to say me that?" I asked her.

"Because Data, that smile combined with that attitude and her whole being, they are just screaming 'Fall for me' and though you are an android, my friend, you do have your emotion chip and from what I've heard from Geordi, it is working. It will work in this case too," the bartender gave me a wide smile.

"You better believe her," Erin whispered to my ear and vanished as quietly as she had appeared, with a laugh. And I do believe her because Guinan is Guinan and she is as emotionally perceptive as our counselor if not even more perceptive.

**A/N: My first Star Trek TNG fic, so R&R's are very appreciated and hoped. Not the bad kinds but the good ones and constructive ones. **


	2. Chapter 2: Introduction: Erin, part II

Chapter II: Introduction: Erin, part II

Erin's POV

"Welcome on board at the U.S.S Enterprise, Miss Madegan" Captain Picard greeted me as soon as I had beamed at the Enterprise.

"I look forward of serving with you even when I am only a civilian," I returned the greeting.

"This is Commander Riker, my number one and the rest of my bridge crew you'll meet at the bridge. Shall we go?" he escorted me to the Turbo lift. After a while, the doors opened and we stepped at the bridge.

"So this is my crew. This is Chief Engineer, Geordi La Forge. Then we have ship's Counselor Deanna Troi and Lieutenant Worf," Captain introduced me.

"A Klingon," I stated but Worf just settled for a nod. Not friendly but not hostile either.

"I'm very glad to meet you," Deanna said.

"The youngster on the helm is Will Crusher, our doctor's son and this is Lieutenant Commander Data," Picard told me after steering me around the whole bridge.

"It is very nice to meet you Miss Madegan," Data greeted me very formally.

"Wow, you serve with a Klingon and an Android," I was pretty amazed.

"Yes Miss Madegan, is that a problem to you? Can you serve with them?" Picard wanted to know.

"No, no, not at all. In fact, this is quite fascinating," I replied very enthusiastic.

"Would it be too bold to inquire, what are you Miss Madegan?" Data had stepped on the other side of the Captain, "I have encountered many species before but I do not seem to be able to link you in any of them."

_Talk about polite, _I thought to myself, ""I'm three quarters of a human and one quarter of Vulcan," I chimed to him.

"Oh. So that would explain your pointy ears. But what about your lips and nails?" he seemed intrigued.

I eyed my blue nails," Oh, that. Some ancestor of mine had a good time with a Tryad in ancient times."

"Mr. Data, would you escort Miss Madegan to her quarters?" Captain was ready to leave at the next assignment.

"Certainly sir," Data answered, "Shall we?" and he offered me his arm, which I took, smiling.

"Deck 36," Data said when the doors had closed. And with a silent swoosh, they opened again, revealing a long corridor.

"Do you always talk that way, Lieutenant Commander?" I had to ask when Data was showing me the way at my accommodation.

"In what way?" He obviously didn't notice the way he talked.

"Well, so formally," I replied.

"Yes, that is the way I always talk, Miss Madegan," he confirmed, "And these are your quarters," he continued, opening the door for me.

_Ever so polite, _I thought, "Thank you Lieutenant Commander," I said laughing.

"Please, call me Data, Miss Madegan," he seemed to be bit abashed about what he'd just said.

"Erin," I revealed my first name, "Thank you Data," and laughed. Did that cute Android just blush?


	3. Chapter 3: Interest, part I

Chapter III: Interest, part I

Data's POV

The rain was tapping the roof of a warm and cozy log cabin. Fire was crackling in the fireplace. There was an air of melancholy in that place, though it was only a program, created by the computer.

A small woman in her mid-thirties lay on her back before the fireplace. She had her eyes closed and she did not open them though she must have heard the swooshing sound of the door as I entered at the holodeck.

"Erin," she had adjured me to call her that, "Are you here?"

"Yes, I'm here Data," she responded. It was a big concession from my side to allow her to call me Data. If I had not permitted it, she would have called me Lieutenant Commander. And I was interested…of her.

"What is this place, if I may inquire?" I looked around the place.

"This…this is a place where I can relax better than anywhere else," she replied without a smile and stood up, "I assume the Captain wants to show me something." She had come at the Enterprise for her internship and she would become a linguistic.

"As a matter a fact, he does want to show you something. We will arrive at the Hassaleh II in thirty minutes and the Captain would like to show you the nebula that floats near by."

"Can one even say that a nebula is floating?" she said with that laugh in her voice.

"Well, what else could it be called than floating?" I frowned.

"Honestly," she laughed now," I don't know. But what I do know is that I shouldn't keep the Captain waiting." And she walked away.

Later that day, I caught her sitting in the bar, at Ten Forward. She was discussing with Guinan. I did not want to interrupt them but Erin had already seen me, so I joined them.

"Well, I think I'll leave the two of you alone, I have work to do anyhow," Guinan smiled and left.

"What do you think about the nebula?" I asked after the bartender had left.

"You saw it too," Erin answered.

"Yes I did. But do you have any opinion about it?"

"It was beautiful. Weird too, as if it would be alive somehow. Made me feel empty. And blue."

I frowned," The only blue I see in you are your lips and nails."

"No Data, not that kind of blue. I mean, the nebula made me feel sadness," she had sad undertone in her laugh.

"Oh, I am sorry. Do you want to talk about something else?"

"If that's OK by you, yes, I'd like to talk about something else. And Data, you're sweet. Thank you."

"Is this bad time to ask about the Tryads? After all, one of them was kind of your ancestor," I was as interested about that race as about her.

"No Data, it's not a bad time. What would you want to know about them?" her mood had been lightened. Though I do not know how to act in her presence, though I do not know how to specify her, it mattered a lot to me that she was not as sad as she had been. Curious.

**A/N: I hope Data is not too OOC. **


	4. Chapter 4: Interest, part II

Chapter IV: Interest, part II

Erin's POV

He asked my opinion about the nebula, that night, at Ten Forward. _He's interested about you girl, _the little voice inside of my head said. Clearly he is. He even changed the subject when I didn't want to talk about the nebula.

"Is this bad time to ask about the Tryads?" it was touching how he wants to make me feel better, so much that he avoids the subject even though he is interested about it. And by it, I mean the nebula. But he chooses the second best option to this situation.

"What would you want to know about them?"

"Everything, if that is not too inconvenient," Data answered plainly. _Not too inconvenient? Was that a joke? Did the Android just made a joke? _my inner voice interrupted me once again.

"Oh where would I begin?"

"Wherever you want to but you have mentioned that they were boring race," he replied for me.

"So I did. And they were. After they'd gained that level of culture and everything else, they just stopped."

"Stopped?" Data tilted his head. _You've got to love his mannerism, girl. _And I do, I do love his mannerism.

"Shut down their whole evolution. It was as if they decided that they were high enough," I explained to the curious android.

"Intriguing. And you said that they just were?"

"Yep, that pretty much sums it all. The whole being of them. They weren't interested about improve their economy. They weren't interested about any other species in this big galaxy. They didn't start wars nor did they participate in any. The Tryads just stayed on their hunk of rock and were."

"Oh. That is pretty outspoken," Data stated. I stayed quiet for a while, just examined his face. _That there girl, is one interesting piece of package, _my inner voice started again, _You could do a lot worse. _It sounded amused. And it amused me.

"Can I ask you something, Data?"

"Sure, I promise to answer if I only can." And there it was again. I almost expected my inner voice to ask me if I noticed that little joke but it stayed silent.

"Do you like it in this place?"

"There is nothing wrong in this place. Why? Do you want to go to somewhere else?"

"I mean, do you like living in Enterprise? Have persons here treated you well?"

"Yes, I do like living in Enterprise. And everyone in Enterprise has treated me well. I believe there is one person that I can even consider as my friend," Data answered, "How about you?"

"I haven't been very long time on board but I love this place already. Mr. La Forge has been very friendly to me as has Counselor Troi but that's part of her job. To be friendly. I have met your doctor only once so about her I can't say. Wes is nice guy, I think he is good Starfleet Officer. Then, there's the Captain. A puzzle. He's been helpful. I think that he arranged my internship to here. He is good Captain. Commander Riker is fine first officer but that's about all I can say of him. I haven't been around him much either."

"How about Lieutenant Worf?"

"He's a Klingon. What can anyone say about Klingons? He hasn't treated me badly. But not nicely either. I'm not his enemy, so I guess he doesn't have too big interest about me," I answered.

"How do you know Guinan?"

"She's a good friend. Met her at Space Station 173 before I began to study languages. She suggested me to study them. I was going to settle for a bartender's career," at this point, a surprised look passes over Data's face.

"You were a bartender?"

"Yes, I was a bartender once upon a time."

"Why?"

"Because I was little disappointed about my previous career choice as a metallurgist. There weren't enough places to choose. I was young and woman. Nobody wanted me. My life bored me. Decided to travel at that Space Station. And there she was, bartending, just like here. She took me under her wings and the rest is history."

"Intriguing." _That you are. _


	5. Chapter 5: Friendship? part I

Chapter V: Friendship? part I

Data's POV

"Hello Data. Erin is not here if you're looking for her," Guinan greeted me when I entered Ten Forward.

"I know that. I was wondering if you could help me," I said to her.

"OK. Then how may I help you?"

"Would it be considered as an act of friendship if I would show some of my favorite programs in holodeck, to Erin?"

"Yes, it would be. But why would you want to do that?"

"I think it would only be fair because one day, I walked into one of hers," I rationalized.

"OK, I understand. I think you may find her at the holodeck," the bartender said.

"Should I tell her the reason why I show the program to her?"

"Well, you can do that. It explains why you're doing it."

"Thank you Guinan," I said.

"You're welcome Data. But is that all you want to show to her? Just friendship?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"You might want to think about that yourself," she smiled and went to serve other customers.

I walked at the direction of the holodecks and stopped behind the door of number three. For a while, I considered knocking but decided not to and stepped right in. The scene I entered in was completely dark. But I could hear the familiar sound of rain.

"Erin?" I called her name.

I heard her sigh and then she replied, "Yes Data, what is it now?"

"I was wondering if you would like to see one of my favorite programs."

"Sure," she nodded, "but why do you want to show it to me?"

"As an act of friendship."

"That's really nice of you. Computer, save and end program," she ordered the computer. Then she turned to face me and asked," So, what are you gonna show me?"

"I had few options but then I decided to show you a program that is my favorite. But it is not my own," I told her and started the memorial service program of Tasha Yar.

"_My friend Data. You see things with the wonder of a child. And that makes you more human than any of us," _Tasha once more spoke to me. Erin followed the program silently beside me. And though I had played that particular program many times before, Tasha's final words managed to touch me always, after I had gotten my emotion chip.

"_Death is that state in which one exists only in the memory of others. Which is why it is not an end. No goodbyes. Just good memories. Hailing frequencies closed, sir." _The image of Tasha faded. I sensed Erin's movement beside me. She had been quiet during the whole program.

"She was beautiful Data," Erin said finally, "but who was she and how did she die?"

"She was our Security Chief. A creature called Armus killed her at a planet called Vagra II," I replied.

"She meant something to you, didn't she?" Erin wanted to know.

"She was a very dear friend to me."

"Anything else?"

I was surprised to hear that though I knew that women could be very perceptive.

"We were intimate once."

"And?"

"The next day, she did not want to talk about it. It ended there."

"Why?" it seemed like her questions were endless.

"It was some strange pathogen that affected to all of us," I explained.

"And you showed this to me as an act of friendship?"

"I showed this to you because I want you to know that you too are very dear to me."

"Thank you Data. You're dear to me too. But am I only a dear friend to you or could this be more than that?"

I looked at her as if I wouldn't understand what she meant. She looked into my eyes and then turned her look away, to the floor.

"Fine," she said and left the holodeck.

Truth to be told, I knew exactly what she meant.


End file.
